DOLPHIN DIGEST 5/28/2026
Weekly Newsletter by Arleta School and Arleta PTA
WELCOME TO ARLETA'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
We’re so glad to have you as part of our school community!
This weekly newsletter is developed and sent in partnership between school administration and the PTA. If you have information you'd like shared in the newsletter, please email it to ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com. Keep scrolling for the latest.
INDIGENOUS LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge Portland rests on traditional village sites of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. #HonorNativeLand https://youtu.be/ETOhNzBsiKA
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FIELD DAY TOMORROW!
Our Arleta athletes are not done running! Arleta Field Day is on May 29th, and Teacher Hannah needs parents to help make it a smooth, fun experience for all the students!
There will be 10 Field Day stations, and teacher Hannah is hoping for 2 parents per station, per shift.
Morning Volunteers (8:15 - 10:30)
First shift volunteers will help bring their station’s equipment from the gym to the correct playground area, set up the station, and guide student groups through the activity rotations.
Afternoon Volunteers (12:30 - 2:30)
Second shift volunteers will help supervise and run their assigned station during the event and will bring all station equipment back to the gym at the end of the day.
We would also appreciate a few extra volunteers to help with popsicles and the water table (if we have one).
SUMMER LITTER PICK UP SIGN-UP
The Arleta PTA is organizing a weekly Arleta litter pick-up, to keep the grounds nice for summer-time play and to make sure the kids have a clean schoolyard to come back to in the fall! The litter pick-ups will be held from June 16-August 18. Families/volunteers will sign up for a week, and come once during that week, at any time of their choosing, to pick up trash!
Volunteers will need to bring their own:
- Bucket
- Trash bag
- Gloves
- Trash grabber
To sign up:
- Click on the button below to sign up.
- Select a week or two from the options.
- You only need to come once during the week you choose.
- Please remember that the dumpsters will be locked at school during the summer, so you’ll need to take the trash home to dispose of it in your bin,
Thank you for your support in keeping Arleta litter-free!
SEEKING SUMMER WATER HEROES
In addition to picking up litter, we need to water the raised garden beds! We've got some beloved garden plants and sprinkler and irrigation systems have not so far survived a summer, so we rely heavily on parents with hoses!
Please consider signing up to keep our plants alive and thriving during what promises to be a sweltering summer so we can keep our neighborhood green!
The Watering Process
You won't need to bring anything from home and the whole task should take about half an hour. The hose and the key to open and turn on the water faucet are in the shed. The code and access details to the shed will be sent to volunteers the week before their scheduled watering date. The faucet is on the south side of the main school building between the garden and Ms. Hedlund‘s kindergarten classroom. Once you hook up the hose, use the key to turn the water on and drag the hose over to the garden.
Please water all the raised beds and pots and then if you have time the planter by the picnic tables.Lastly, return the hose and the water key to the shed and lock up when you leave. Arleta Garden Chairs Jenna and Wisteria will be available to meet you there and show you the ropes, should you request it! Call Wisteria at 503.781.6219.
PTA POSITIONS STILL OPEN FOR THE 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR
Our PTA is a big part of why our school community is so vibrant and engaged. Your work with the PTA helps to create a rich environment for our kids to learn and grow and supports our hardworking educations. Plus, we promise, it really is fun. We're a good group of people. Consider joining in and helping out!
PTA Board Vacancies
PTA Lead Volunteer Vacancies
Vice-President
Time estimate: 4 hours/month
Duties: support meeting agenda prep, assist officers and committee chairs, recruit and mentor volunteers, lead nominations for next year’s board, and help with the annual audit.
- Member at Large
Time estimate: 4 hours/month
Duties: learn the ropes without a big commitment. Support member recruitment & engagement activities. Act as a liaison between members and the board to communicate needs and ideas.
Winter Share-a-Toy Donation Drive Lead Organizer
Season of Giving Lead Organizer
Communications Lead
PPS/PTA Clothing Closet Volunteer Coordinator
MR. COOKE SEEKS MATH GAMES
Arleta teacher Mr. Cooke has an active Donors Choose! He writes: The kids love the games, and I love how well they teach the kids about the concepts as they are learning them. In Reflex, the students are taught about fact families, and then learn all of their math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) through fact families. It builds from easiest to hardest, and if a student struggles with a fact they had down before, they are forced to go back and get it down again.
In Frax, they master the deep concepts of fractions and decimals mostly by using number lines. They often start with no idea of what they're doing, and within a few months, they are doing incredibly difficult problems with fractions and decimals. It's pretty cool!
SUN SCHOOL SEEKING SNACKS TO SHARE
SUN School is seeking donations of snacks to help feed kids in the program. Please make sure donations of kid-friendly snacks are healthy and shelf-stable. Donations can be collected in the school office! Thank you so much.
ARLETA FOOD PANTRY, CLOTHES CLOSET, & FAMILY TOILETRIES
Arleta has a small food pantry, clothes closet, and a variety of toiletries available for the use of any Arleta family. To set up an appointment to use the pantry or the closet, please email our SUN School Coordinator, Raina Bilbrew at rbilbrew@pps.net or raina.bilbrew@portlandoregon.gov or call or text her at 971-803-8986.
TOMORROW - FIELD DAY - MAY 29
Field Day is an annual tradition where Arleta students and teachers take class outside and participate in a circuit of activities - think tug-of-war, ball toss, and lawn bowling. Everyone leaves a winner! This year, Field Day is on Friday, May 29th.
Field Day Schedule
3rd, 4th, & 5th
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Kinder, 1st, & 2nd
12:45 PM – 2:15 PM
What Students Should Bring/Wear
Please ensure your students to come prepared with:
💧 Water bottle
☀️ Sunscreen
👕 Clothes that can get wet
(There will be a few water stations.)👟 Shoes that can easily come on and off
(There will be an inflatable obstacle course that is shoes-off.)
END OF YEAR JAMBOREE - JUN 4
Let’s celebrate the end of the school year with a Jamboree! Everyone is invited on June 4th from 5-7pm to enjoy food, fun, and friends.
Know Before You Go!
5:00pm: Everything kicks off & is open
- Hot dog dinner (vegan & gluten-free options available)
- Sparkling water, juice, & Otter Pops
- Bounce houses
- Temporary tattoos
- Karaoke
- Meet Dillon the Pickle!
- Take a photo at the photo booth
7:00pm: Time to say goodbye and clean up!
What to Bring:
- A blanket and camping chairs. There will be a few cafeteria tables for seating
- Soccer or basketball to play with friends on the blacktop courts
- Lawn games! Like Corn Hole, Horseshoes, or Giant Jenga that you can share, feel free to bring them along! No need to check with anyone beforehand.
Pets: Service animals are always welcome; otherwise, please leave your pets at home.
Volunteers, click the button below to sign up to help!
The Jamboree is one of Arleta's biggest events of the year! It’s a fantastic way to bring the school community and families together, but we really need wonderful volunteers to make it happen! We especially need assistance with set-up, clean-up, giving temporary tattoos, and bubble management!
CELEBRATING OUR 5TH GRADE GRADUATES - JUN 5
Families of 5th graders are invited to 3 special events to celebrate our graduates!
Schedule:
- 🎓 8:15am: Fifth Grade Promotion and Certificate Ceremony, school auditorium
- 🛼 10:30am - 1:30pm: Join us to celebrate our Arleta 5th graders one last time before middle school! The kids will be skating at Mt. Scott Roller Rink, and parents are pitching in to add to the celebration. We need your help! Sign up link below.
- 🎉 2:15pm: Fifth Grade Clap-out. Join us at Arleta's front steps to cheer on the 5th graders as they leave for the last time!
POPSICLES AT THE PICNIC TABLES - JUN 5
Come celebrate the sweet taste of a school year well spent and a scintillating summer to look forward to, with popsicles at the picnic tables, after the last day of school, June 5th at 2:30pm!
INCOMING KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE ICE CREAM SOCIAL - JUN 8
Each year Arleta holds two ice cream socials to welcome incoming kindergarteners and bring kindergarten and first grade families together: one ice cream social in June and one in August! This year, the June Incoming Kindergarten and First Grade Ice Cream Social is Monday, June 8, from 4-5pm. All incoming first graders are welcome to attend with their families, and please share this invitation with any incoming kindergarten families you know! Come make new friends for summer vacation!
MAY IS ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
For our last installment celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, let's enjoy some crafts and artwork. Below is a tiny, tiny smattering of some interesting crafts from around Asia and Indonesia that you can share with your kids!
Papercutting
Papercutting is an artform especially prolific in China. The earliest papercutting relics are from the Northern Dynasty (386-851). The artform emerged as a way of decorating homes and doors for festivals. Crafters fold the paper to create symmetrical designs and use knives or scissors to cut them out. When using knives to cut the images and scenes, the artist puts several layers of paper on top of a relatively soft foundation consisting of a mixture of tallow and ashes. The artist holds a sharp knife vertically and cuts the motif out of the paper by following a pattern. More papercuts are made with the knife-cutting technique rather than scissors since it is less time consuming. Different provinces in China have different styles of the artform, ranging from the simple and rough, to intricate with dyed papers. Below is a short video with a motif you can try at home!
Boro Mending
Boro is a traditional, Japanese style of mending cloth that uses running stitches to secure and reinforce patches over worn cloth. The technique seems to have come into common use through the Edo period (1603-1868) when fabric was a scarce commodity, especially for poor, rural communities. Boro emerged as a practical way to make garments stretch for as long as they could. Sashiko stitches were often used, creating geometric patterns using a running stitch. Click here to learn how to use boro mending on your own garments!
Ddakji
Learn how to make and play the Korean game Ddakji by clicking here! Ddakji is played similar to Pogs, a game with trading pieces that was popular for a little while in the 90s, but does not involve a slammer piece! To play, everyone puts their ddajki pieces on the table, and a throwing player tries to flip over other people's pieces by flinging his own! The link will give you full instructions for making the pieces, playing, and links to a YouTube demonstration.
Nang Yai and Nang Talung
Nang Yai and Nang Talung are forms of shadowpuppetry done in Thailand. The intricate shadow-puppets are cut from leather. ("Nang" means "leather", and "yai" means "large".) Nang yai was originally developed in temples, and many of the performances feature the epic Ramakien. However, sometimes smaller stories and original works were shown. Nang Yai puppets are large and stationery, and brought and moved around the stage by dancers. Nang Talung puppets are smaller, and can be moved by rods and string, though still made of leather. You can watch the 10 minute short documentary about it below, a collaboration between Thai PBS and the Thailand Foundation. Nang talung is very similar the the Javanese form of shadow puppetry, Wayang.
Hula
Hula is an important dance form in Hawaii. It was brought to Hawaii by ancient Polynesians who settled in the islands over a thousand years ago. Hula was initially performed to honor and represent the gods, tell stories, and welcome important guests keeping a genealogical, mythological, and historical record for countless generations. Hula was passed down orally and through demonstration, taught by Kumu Hula (hula masters). Westerners starting in the 1770s provide the first written accounts of the dance, but through the lens of foreign perspectives.
In the 19th century, efforts to suppress the hula by missionaries almost led to its extinction. The practice survived in secret and later experienced a revival in the 1970s. Outsiders might view the dance as exotic entertainment, but for native Hawaiians this dance is deeply rooted in the spiritual and historical traditions and is a practice and a way of relating the world and preserving stories. Dancers are always barefoot, and movement is rooted in the feet, and that connection with the earth. Both men and women dance hula. There are different kinds of hula, including Kahiko (Ancient) Hula, characterized by traditional intrustments, chanting, and specific movements, and 'Auana (Modern) Hula, which incorporates Western instruments like the guitar and ukelele and incorporates more diverse movements.
You can watch the video below to get a brief lesson in hula! You can find local classes at Hula Hālau, Ka Lei Hali'a O Ka Lokelani, Uluwehi Hālau Hula O Kapukui, and Kaleinani O Ke Kukui (where you can also take drumming and ukele).
NEXT WEEK BEGINS PRIDE MONTH
June is Pride Month, a time when we celebrate LGBTQ+ history and existence. Here is a brief timeline of local LGBTQ+ history.
A Timeline of Local LGBTQ+ History
1918 Dr. Alan Hart
Dr. Alan Hart undergoes one of the first gender reassignment surgeries in the country a year after graduating Lewis & Clark College's medical school, and lives the rest of his life as a man, marrying twice.
1970 Portland Gay Liberation Front Forms
The Portland Chapter of the Gay Liberation Front is formed in the coffeehouse of Centenary-Wilbur Methodist Church by cofounders John Wilkinson and Holly Hart, one year after the first ever chapter was founded in NYC. Meetings are promoted in Portland's alternative newspaper, The Willamette Bridge.
1971 First Portland Pride Event
Second Foundation of Oregon hosts Portland's first Pride Event, a dance in the ballroom of the Pythian Building. The dance was a radical statement of existence and a celebration of identity.
1973 A Woman's Place Bookstore
A Woman's Place Bookstore is founded at 706 SE Grand, featuring literature, albums, and tapes by and about women and the largest collection of lesbian literature in the city, and by the late 80s also featured a lending library, community resource area, children's play space, and meeting spaces. It closed in 1990.
1973 Oregon Gay Political Caucus
The Oregon Gay Political Caucus forms to lobby the Oregon Legislature to pass anti-discrimination laws on the basis of sexual orientation. Then first-year Oregon Representative Vera Katz lends them office space at the capitol.
1974 The Portland Town Council
The Portland Town Council begins work as one of the earliest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in the city. It establishes a crisis hotline for the LGBTQ+ community and its founder, Larry Copeland, is known for sleeping overnight at the office so as to not miss hotline calls.
1975 First Portland Pride Fair
Portland hosts its inaugural Gay Pride Fair, an event featuring art, crafts, food and dancing. In its second year, it moved to the Waterfront Park and consisted of 15 booths with an attendance of about 200 people.
1976 First Portland Gay Rights March
Kathleen Saadat and other LGBTQ organizers lead the first Gay Rights March in Portland. Sadaat later told OPB, "We were marching along and doing chants, being scared and seeing people on the sidewalk who we knew were gay or lesbian, but who were afraid to join the march. And we understood that. And it was very tense. I can’t tell you much about the rest of the day except having done it and going [sighs] you know, sorta like we lived through it, we weren’t attacked.” (OPB, 2021).
1976 A Legislative Guide to Gay Rights
The Portland City Council publishes a 76 page booklet spearheaded by lawyer Susie Shepherd called "A Legislative Guide to Gay Rights" which becomes nationally recognized.
1977 Mildred's Place Opens
Wanting to provide an all-ages place of LGBTQ youth, Lanny Swerdlow and Bill Hicks open an all-ages disco club called Mildred's Place. Previous to Mildred's Place, LGBTQ youth socialized around SW Yamhill and Third Avenue, sometimes up to 100 at a time, referred to in the community as "The Camp". Police regularly arrest youth at the all-ages club, including stationing officers as the exit, prompting some youth to stay all night. The problem ends when Portland Police Commissioner Charles Jordan, Portland's first Black City Council member, sends an aide to verify the situation and then directs the Police Bureau to stop the stakeout.
1978 First Custody Battle Won
The Community Law Project, founded two years earlier, wins the first contested lesbian custody case in Oregon, leading the fight to persuade Multnomah County judges that sexual orientation should not be a determining factor in custody cases, and paving the way for adoption cases.
1979 Mildred's Place Closes
Sustaining police harassment and changes in the lease close Mildred's Place.
1980 Portland Gay Men's Chorus Forms
Mark Richards founds Portland Gay Men's Chorus after attending a performance of the San Francisco's Gay Men's Chorus. PGMC is one of the first in the nation. As the AIDS crisis quickly spreads and develops, PGMC becomes a social lifeline, and a feature at both funerals and celebrations.
1983 Cascade AIDS Project Forms
Cascade AIDS Project is founded in Portland to provide advocacy, education, and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
1991 City Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
Portland City Council passes an anti-discrimination ordinance, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, and public accommodations. Click here to view minutes from that City Council Meeting and other meetings on this timeline.
1992 Domestic Partnership Benefits
Multnomah County becomes the first employer in Oregon to extend health benefits to domestic partners.
1992 Measure 9 Fails
Oregon voters vote down Measure 9, a measure put forward by the Oregon Citizens Alliance to amend the Oregon constitution to ban civil rights protection based on sexual orientation.
1993 State Anti-Discrimination Law
The Oregon Legislature passes House Bill 3500, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The law is challenged and upheld in the Oregon Supreme Court one year later.
1994 Urban League's Rainbow Program
Shala Moyadei organizes the Rainbow Program, a drop-in support group for youth ages 12-19 at the Urban League of Portland.
1996 BRO Incorporates
Basic Rights Oregon (BRO) is incorporated. It is the first major Oregon group advocating for both equality based on sexual orientation and equality based on gender identity.
2000 City Protects Gender Rights
Portland adds gender identity to the city-wide ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
2000 County Domestic Partnership
Multnomah County creates a domestic partner registration system for both homosexual and heterosexual couples.
2004 Marriage Briefly Legalized By County
For six weeks, Multnomah County briefly legalized same-sex marriage before the practice was ended by court order.
2004 Oregon Bans Same Sex Marriage
Oregon Voters vote to ban same-sex marriage with Ballot Measure 36.
2005 Q Center Forms
The Q Center, the first LGBTQ+ community center in Portland, is established.
2007 Legislating Fairness
With intense lobbying from BRO, two important pieces of legislation are enacted. The Oregon Equality Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, and public accommodations. The Oregon Family Fairness Act offers domestic partnership to same-sex couples across the state.
2008 First Openly Transgender Mayor
Silverton, Oregon elects the nation's first openly transgender mayor when they re-elect Mayor Stu Rasmussen.
2012 Equal Access To Healthcare
The State of Oregon prohibits health care providers from discriminating against people based on the gender identity or expression.
2013 Geigher v. Kitzhaber
Geigher v. Kitzhaber and Rummell v. Kitzhaber are filed in federal court, arguing that Oregon's ban on same-sex marriage violates the constitutional rights of same-sex couples. Judge Michael McShane rules in their favor a year later and same-gender weddings started the same day.
2014 Same-Sex Marriage Legalized
Oregon becomes the 18th state to legalize same-sex marriage based on Judge McShane's ruling in Geigher v. Kitzhaber, which stuck down the state's ban on same-sex marriages.
2015 Obergefell v. Hodges
On the national scene, the Supreme Court rules that the right to marry cannot be denied to same-sex couples in Obergefell v. Hodges.
2015 OHP Covers Gender Dysphoria
Oregon Health Plan covers medical treatments for gender dysphoria, including hormone therapy and transgender reassignment surgery.
2015 Oregon Bans Conversion Therapy
Governor Brown signed Oregon's Youth Mental Health Protection Act, banning conversion therapy for minors by licensed mental health providers.
2015 Rainbow Crosswalks
Portland begins to install rainbow-colored crosswalks as a symbol of the city's commitment to inclusivity and pride.
2017 Non-Binary State IDs
Oregon becomes the first US state to offer a non-binary gender marker option on driver's licenses and state IDs.
(Information taken the Oregon Queer History Collective, the Portland City Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and Portland Pride Pages.)
For more resources, click here for a Portland Pride timeline on Portland Monthly!
BEAT THE BELL
For the week of May 18-22, we had 94% positive attendance (better than the 92% attendance rate the week before) and 143 tardies, or 28.6 tardies a day, which was better than the 31.8 tardies a day the week before..
Looking for some tips to help you get out of the door on time? Check back here each week for ideas.
This week's tips:
Negotiate specific times for video games. Avoid bedtimes and mornings before school.
Get a fuzzy rug for bare feet to land on next to the bed
Listen to an audio book while you get ready.
THE LIGHTNING THIEF, BY RICK RIORDAN
Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction — Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.
Get The Book
- Click here to borrow the book from Multnomah County Library.
- Buy the book at Powell's Bookstore.
- Buy the book, ebook, or audiobook at Barnes and Noble.
- Purchase the book on Amazon.
- See the book on the author's website.
It’s in sails!
One in six children in Oregon and SW Washington face food insecurity. Food insecurity can arise for anyone. Should you need a little help, or you want to give a little help, here is a list of nearby resources.
Search for food pantry by day and time open, using the Portland Free Food Calendar.
Urban Gleaners takes advantage of Oregon's bountiful harvests, making sure they don't go to waste, sharing food through a variety of free markets around the region. You can find those markets on their website. Find a location by clicking here. The closest location to the school is at Mt. Scott Community Park, from 12:15-1pm on Tuesdays. Market is held on the corner of the park by SE Ellis St & SE 74th Ave. Lottery numbers are handed out at 12:15PM. The next closest market to the school is held at Lents Park on Thursdays from noon to 2pm. Market is held in the parking lot on the corner of SE 88th Ave & SE Steele St, next to the community garden. Lottery numbers are handed out at 12pm. If you arrive after numbers have been handed out, there is still an opportunity to shop after everyone with a number has gone through, though the quantity and variety of food left at this point varies week to week.
St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd. Hours are on Fridays from 2-5pm and the entrance is in the rear of building. They use a lottery system to give out the initial entry numbers. Those who have arrived by 1:45 pm on Friday will be entered into the lottery. Those who arrive after 1:45pm will be given the next number available.
SVDP Our Lady of Sorrows, 5221 SE Knight street. Referral only. Call Portland Council for food box at 503-235-8431.
Groceries 4 Grout, 4028 SE 34th Ave. This food pantries is hosted every Friday at Kenilworth Presbyterian Church parking lot. The outdoor pantry is shopping-style, available to everyone and we invite people to bring their own bags. Call (503) 235-3977 with inquiries.
The Woodstock Food Pantry 4033 SE Woodstock, provides groceries on Fridays and Saturdays, between 12:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. to anyone who needs them. Drive-through or walk-up pantry. Cars – line up and stay in your car. Walkups – line up on the sidewalk.
The Francis Center 6535 SE 82nd provides food boxes Monday through Thursday from 10am -2pm. They ask that people gather one box per month, unless they're homeless, in which case, they can come once a week.
Kellogg Middle School Free Food Market, 3400 SE 69th Ave, is generally open on the 3rd Friday of every month and is open to the public (you do not have to have a student at Kellogg to attend). Please bring your own bag. The Kellogg pantry is next open on: June 5 from 3:30-5pm. For more information, email info@kelloggmsptsa.org.
Lane Food Pantry, 7200 SE 60th, in the back parking lot, is open both to school families and the public, every Tuesday from 2:30-4pm, and offers 3-5 days worth of food, including fresh produce, to all comers. Please do not arrive more than 15 minutes early for the safety of the students. The pantry is run in partnership between the SUN program, the Latino Network, and the Oregon Food Bank.
The Equitable Giving Circle provides food boxes, compiled with Black farmers, for BIPOC people in our area and provides home delivery.
Portland Open Bible Community Food Pantry, 3223 SE 92nd Avenue Portland, has an open pantry on Tuesday 4pm-7pm and Thursday 10am-1pm except on federal holidays. Online ordering is open 24 hours per day / 7 days per week (click here to order food online). Walk in, call (503) 442-8228, or visit their website for more information.
PDX Free Fridge is a community based and informed mutual aid effort to increase access to free food and vital supplies by creating a network of independent fridges and pantries in Portland, OR. Go to their website to find a fridge or pantry near you! (Note: this map is out of date, and is currently being updaated.)
Milk Crate Kitchen delivers meals twice a month. To learn more, click here for the Milk Crate Kitchen website.
During these unprecedented times, some local restaurants are stepping in to fill the gap. Click here for a list of local restaurants providing SNAP meals.
To research more resources, go to the Oregon Food Bank Food Finder, Findhelp.org, or the Multnomah County Food Assistance page which has been updated to include resources for folks on SNAP not getting their SNAP payments. Multnomah Education Service District has a document with a list of resources for SNAP beneficiaries, translated into multople languages. To donate food, consider the Portland Food Project, which will pick up shelf-stable food from your home and deliver it to food pantries.
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR THE BIRD DAYS OF SUMMER
Registration for the Bird Alliance of Oregon's Bird Days of Summer opens on May 15. All summer long, from June through August, they’re hosting a jam-packed lineup of free, nature-loving events across Oregon. Whether you’re in Portland, out at the Oregon Coast, or deep in the sagebrush of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and the Klamath Basin, there’s something for everyone. Expect a diverse set of outings: dusk birding, hiking, bat walks, dragonfly explorations, botanical drawing, queer birding, Malheur After Dark, and so much more.
These laidback adventures are designed for all ages and experience levels—just bring your curiosity! Come celebrate the magic of Oregon’s diverse landscapes, connect with community, and discover the joy of birds and beyond.
MINIDOKA ON OUR MINDS AT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF OREGON NOW - JUNE 14
The Minidoka National Historic Site was officially established in 2001 as part of the National Park Service after years of Japanese American advocacy. This exhibition celebrates 25 years of preservation at this site where many Nikkei from Oregon and Washington were incarcerated during World War II. Artwork by survivors, descendants, and Japanese American youth explore the park’s history and its importance as a site of memory.
Minidoka on Our Minds was created in partnership with the National Park Service and is generously supported by the JA Community Foundation, Ronald W Naito MD Foundation, Betty Lou Roberts Fund of Oregon Community Foundation, and Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation.
The Japanese American Museum of Oregon is open Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 11am-4pm at 411 NW Flanders St (entrance on 4th Avenue) Portland, OR 97209. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, $5 for students, and children under 11 enter free. Click here for more details.
INVITE HOPE: MARCELO FONATANA AND WAVE CONTEMPORARY AT THE COLLINS GALLERY - NOW THROUGH JULY 5
Central Library is transforming into a space for poetic resistance. Marcelo Fontana and Wave Contemporary invite the viewer to see hope as an active power rather than a passive wish. Eighteen artists will create small and shareable acts of hope displayed in the Collins Gallery. The title for the exhibition, Invite Hope, comes from a Maya Angelou quote: “Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.”
The Collins Gallery, at the top floor of the Central Library, is used for exhibits created by library personnel or by community members in cooperation with library personnel. Use of space by a community organization does not constitute an endorsement of the organization's beliefs by the library.
Central Library
801 SW 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
503.988.5123
ARLETA TRIANGLE SQUARE WORK PARTY - MAY 30
The next Arleta Triangle Square Work party is Saturday May 30th from 10am-12pm at Arleta Triangle Square, 5961-5999 SE 72nd Avenue.. Make a good place better with your neighbors! The Arteta Triangle summer work parties are back for the season. Meet at the Arleta Triangle to help weed, paint, and support the community. Gloves, tools, and drinks provided. The work parties meet on the last Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. throughout the summer. On days with excessive heat warnings, the work parties start and end times each move to an hour earlier.
If you’ve ever walked or driven through the intersection of SE 72nd & Woodstock Boulevard, you noticed an unusual street pattern. A wide, sweeping curved road creates a triangular island of land.
On that space are trees and plants as well as a decorative wall with a canopy.
If you’re like me, you passed this spot and wondered, “Who is in charge of this space?” The answer is you are. And now is the time to help make it even better.
NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY TEAM CITY-WIDE TRAINING - MAY 30
The next Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association semiannual Emergency Training Exercise for Mt Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Emergency Team is May 30th from 12-5pm at , Arleta Triangle Square, 5961-5999 SE 72nd Ave, Portland, OR 97206.
INTERCAMBIO LANGUAGE EXCHANGE - MAY 30
Intercambio / Language Exchange
Sat May 30
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Woodstock Library
Practique inglés o español y ayude a los demás que están aprendiendo en un ambiente amable. Los participantes hablan la mitad del tiempo en inglés y la otra en español. Están bienvenidos los principiantes.
Practice English or Spanish and help other learners in a friendly atmosphere. Participants speak half the time in English and half in Spanish. Beginners welcome.
LAST SUNDAY CRAFTING CLUB - MAY 31
Sun May 31
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Woodstock Library
Express your creativity with a variety of art and craft projects! Library staff will provide all materials necessary.
This event is first come first served due to limited space.
AUTORETRATO DE FRIDITA - JUN 6
Sat Jun 6
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Holgate Library
Set during the Mexican Revolution, and told through table-top puppetry, Autoretrato de Fridita tells the story of young Frida Kahlo who becomes inspired by her father’s creativity. With his support, she uses her imagination and a box of paints to help her overcome challenges and create her own world. Adapted from Milagro’s original play Mijita Fridita, the production explores resilience, creativity, and identity.
DRAGON BOAT RACES - JUN 6 & 7
The Rose Festival is proud to host the Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races, an event that has been bringing an exciting Chinese tradition to Portland for more than two decades, beginning in 1989.
Held on the Willamette River near the Hawthorne Bridge, the races feature exciting four-team heats held every nine minutes. More than 60 different teams – local, national and international – compete in boats graciously provided through the Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association.
This event is FREE to the public.
Date: June 06 - June 07, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location(s):
FREE PORTLAND TAIKO CONCERT - JUNE 7
Portland Taiko and Oregon Symphony present People of the Drum 2026. This FREE, family-friendly event features live music, drumming and dance workshops.
Scheduled performers include: Mexica Tiahui, Oregon Korean Performing Arts, Alex Addy & Woshishijee and Portland Taiko.
When: Sunday, June 7, 11AM – 1:30PM
Where: Outside on Main Street, next to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97205)
This event is FREE, but RSVPs are appreciated so we know approximately how many people will attend. This event is supported by the City of Portland Office of Arts & Culture and the Arts Access Fund. RSVP HERE
A ticketed event, Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto, will take place at 2:00 pm inside the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Discounted tickets will be available at People of the Drum.
CITIZEN ACTIVISM 101 - JUN 7
Citizen Activism 101: Making Change Happen
Sun Jun 7
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Woodstock Library
Learn ideas for bi-partisan civic and political engagement with Donna L. Cohen, civics educator. In this civics for adults course, Donna will show examples of historical perspective and successful advocacy, including different types and tools or strategies for change. Learn how your voice can be heard through lessons in tracking legislation, submitting testimony, and learning who makes the rules in a governing system.
REPAIR PDX REPAIR CAFE - JUNE 13
Next Repair Café
Saturday, June 13, Noon-3 PM
@ Leaven Community
Address: 5431 NE 20th Ave., Portland
Volunteers will be at Leaven Community on Saturday, June 13 to repair:
Small appliances
Garments and textiles
Bikes
Tool/knife sharpening (two items at a time allowed)
Broken ceramics with Kintsugi techniques
If you are bringing an item for Kintsugi, please remember:
Bring a box/container to take your item away, as it will need a day to cure.
This is not a workshop, so please just bring items that you would like volunteers to fix.
The repair materials are not food safe, so please do not bring any items that are used for food.
Note: if an item is broken too extensively and will need more than a half hour to repair, we may not be able to fix it at our event. If you have any questions, please email Emi at modernkintsugirepairpdx@gmail.com.
Come on by between noon and 3 p.m.! We encourage you to click the green button below to let us know what you're planning to bring. We don't use a reservation system but the form helps us know what's coming so we will bring the best tools and parts. Either way, we hope to see you there!
Please email Lauren at RepairPDX@gmail.com with any questions about the Repair Café. Tell us what you're bringing
FOSTER SUMMER SOIREE - JUN 13
The Foster Area Business Association is pleased to announce that they are hosting the 4th Annual Foster Summer Soiree on Saturday, June 13th from 12-5pm celebrating businesses, artists, community and the organizations that continue to help make Portland vibrant. The central Soirée will take place between SE 58th and SE 72nd Ave, but many more events and specials will be available up and down Foster Road.
We would love to have you come help us Foster better community together!
📅 Saturday, June 13
⏰ 12:00 - 6:00pm
📍 SE 58th thru SE 72nd Ave along Foster Rd
RED CASTLE GAMES AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMPS
Did you know that our local board & card game shop, Red Castle Games, offers afterschool programming and summer camps? Click here to explore their Youth Programs! Red Castle is located at 7160 SE Foster Rd. Their phone number is 503-477-5727.
Spring Hours
MON:12PM-9:30PM
TUE:11AM-9:30PM
WED-THU:12PM-9:30PM
FRI-SAT:10AM-10PM
SUN: 10AM-7PM
FOSTER-POWELL GARDEN TOUR - JUN 20
Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association organizes an annual Garden Tour, where neighbors all over Foster-Powell put their gardens on display! It is a fun and welcoming event where neighbors meet and gardens are admired. The tour always happens on the third Saturday of June. This year’s tour will be on June 20th from 10am - 2pm.
Want go get involved? We’re still taking garden nominations! Please email our Garden Chair, Debbie Armendariz here. Or, you can click here to see more information about the tour and to check for updates!
We’ll be releasing a map one week before the tour!
📅 Saturday, June 20
⏰ 10:00am - 2:00pm
📍 Foster-Powell neighborhood
ROYAL ROSARIANS MILK CARTON BOAT RACE - JUNE 28
A classic Rose Festival event and family-friendly community tradition dating back to 1973, children and adults race and show off their handmade, human-powered boats that float only employing recycled milk cartons and jugs in Royal Rosarian Milk Carton Boat Race! Creatively constructed watercraft will compete in nine categories, with one earning a place in history upon the coveted Best in Show Milk Can Trophy.This year it takes place on Sunday, June 28, starting at 10am.. It is free to enter (registration deadline June 19) and free to watch!
PORTLAND SIDEWALK JOY MAP - ANYTIME
Take a self-guided tour of local creations using the PDX Sidewalk Joy Map. This map showcases fun, interactive neighborhood galleries, exchanges and displays.
The map has more than 100 community joy spots throughout the city. All of these projects created by homeowners exist to bring a bit of whimsy and inspiration to the community.
These displays are viewable from front yards, curbside gardens, alleyways, side yards and sides of buildings.
The map shows a description, image and the location of each display. There’s also Instagram handles so you can follow your favorite Joy Map creators.
All locations on the map are free to enjoy, but you may want to bring quarters for the Super Awesome Prizes vending machine or pay for a pottery piece at the Poetry Pottery Box. View the map.
MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY CULTURAL PASSES
The Multnomah County Library has cultural passes to allow free admission to select cultural institutions around Portland. To check out a cultural pass from the library and see the list of institution, please click the button below.
ARTS FOR ALL TICKETS
Anyone who gets food relief through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and has the Oregon Trail Card or Washington State Quest Card qualifies to purchase $5 tickets to theatre, arts, and culture events around Portland through the Arts for All program.
Arts For All envisions a community where everyone—regardless of financial resources—can experience and enjoy arts and culture.
Over a decade ago, Arts For All was founded by dedicated arts leaders to ensure Oregon Trail Card/SNAP recipients could access specific arts events for just $5 per ticket.
Click here to be taken to the Arts for All Website and to purchase tickets. I
ATTENDING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
The School Board meets regularly at the school district's Dr. Matthew Prophet Education Center (Prophet Center), 501 N. Dixon Street, at 6:00 pm on select Tuesdays of each month - and on certain other occasions. Some scheduling changes do occur; if you plan to attend, please see below for the upcoming public meeting notices.
Under the provision of ORS 192.670 all meetings will be live-streamed at http://www.youtube.com/@ppsboardofeducation/live, except for those meetings that fall under the provisions set forth for executive sessions.
To subscribe to email notifications of public meeting notices, email kbradshaw@pps.net to request to be added to the email list. After an email address has been subscribed to the mailing list, a notice of a Public Meeting of the School Board will be sent before each scheduled meeting.
VACCINE RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH FROM THE DISTRICT
Vaccines play a crucial role in protecting our students from serious illnesses and help keep our community safe. Parents/ Guardians of students who are due to receive vaccines should receive a letter in the mail. Please check if your child’s vaccinations are current, including their recommended flu shot, and contact your medical provider or any of the resources listed below.
Multnomah County Student Health Centers
Multnomah County Vaccination Clinic (English)
Email: ArletaSchoolPTA@gmail.com
Website: arletapta.org
Location: 5109 SE 66th Avenue
Phone: 503-916-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArletaElementaryK5